Slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) somatic embryogenesis II. Maturation of somatic embryos and plant regeneration

Maturation of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) somatic embryos was achieved using two protocols, each starting with a different agar incubation step to deplete plant growth regulators (PGRs) used in previous cultural steps. Strength of maturation medium (single vs. double) was found important in the first protocol to develop normal, mature embryos. In the second protocol, abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations (0, 15 and 30 M) and carbohydrate sources were tested for embryo maturation. Thirty M ABA and 6% maltose were deemed the best combination. Embryo germination was accomplished in a continuously lighted environment and embryos receiving a cold pretreatment (4 °C in darkness for 16 days) germinated better than embryos which did not receive cold pretreatment. With a survival rate of 33% after acclimation in a mist system, more than 25 plants from somatic embryos have been established in a greenhouse. Incompletely germinated embryos (lacking roots) were rooted via adventitious rooting techniques and subsequently established in the greenhouse. All established plants obtained from somatic embryogenesis appear normal in morphology.     

Growth, nutrition and response to water stress of Pinus pinaster inoculated with ten dikaryotic strains of Pisolithus sp

Reconstituted dikaryons of Pisolithus sp. (Pers.) Coker & Couch from South Africa influenced growth parameters (shoot length, shoot/root ratio and leaf area), nutrition and physiological indicators (transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and xylem water potential) of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) seedlings during drought and recovery from drought. Seedlings colonized with certain dikaryons were more sensitive to water stress and showed less mycorrhiza formation under water stress than seedlings colonized with other dikaryons. Control (uninoculated) seedlings were significantly smaller than those inoculated with dikaryons. Transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and xylem water potential varied among mycorrhizal treatments during the water stress and recovery periods. After rewatering, the controls and seedlings inoculated with dikaryon 34 x 20 had a weaker recovery in transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and xylem water potential than the other treatments and appeared to have experienced damage due to the water stress. Concentrations of various elements differed in the shoots of Pinus pinaster colonized by the various dikaryons. It is suggested that breeding of ectomycorrhizal fungi could constitute a new tool for improving reforestation success in arid and semi-arid zones.     

Olfactory reactions ofCryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Col., Coccinellidae) andChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neur., Chrysopidae) in relation to period of starvation

In a laboratory study, it was tried to measure the extent of olfactory responses of two predators namelyCryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant andChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) to their respective preys at varied levels of their starvation. Results indicated that both the predators, irrespective of their developmenta stage, oriented more positively to their preys odour when they were deprived of food for certain period of time than they did so when tested directly without subjecting them to starvation. The first, second, third and fourth instar larvae and adults ofC. montrouzieri showed maximum response at 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 12 h and 24 h of starvation, respectively. Similarly, the larvae ofC. carnea responded maximum with 4 h, 8 h and 12 h of hunger in first, second and third instar, respectively. However it was also evident that the continued starvation for more than certain ideal period affected the predators olfactory orientation negatively. But the adults ofC. montrouzieri differed slightly in their behavior as they could respond positively for comparatively longer period of starvation.

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Zusammenfassung In Laborversuchen wurde das Ausmaß der olfaktorischen Reaktionen der beiden PrädatorenCryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant undChrysoperla carnea (Stephens) auf deren BeuteinsektenPlanococcus citri Risso respektiveAcyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) und in Abhängigkeit von der Dauer einer vorangegangenen Hungerperiode, namentlich 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 und 24 Stunden, ermittelt. Wie die Ergebnisse belegen, reagieren beide Prädatoren-Arten unabhängig vom jeweiligen Entwicklungsstadium stärker auf den Geruch ihrer Beute, wenn sie zuvor eine bestimmte Zeit unter Ausschluß von Nahrung gehalten worden waren. Dabei zeigte sich bei den Larven beider Arten ein typischer Verlauf der Attraktivität durch die Beute, nach dem diese mit zunehmender Dauer der Hungerperiode zunächst zunahm, um nach einem Maximum wieder deutlich abzufallen. Dieser Verlauf erwies sich für die einzelnen Larvenstadien als unterschiedlich. So wurde fürC. montrouzieri das Maximum bei den L₁-Larven mit durchschnittlich 9,33 von 15 durch die Beute angelockten Individuen bereits nach einer Hungerperiode von 4 h erreicht, für die L₂ jedoch mit 9,50 Individuen erst nach 8 und für die L₃ sowie L₄ erst nach 12 h mit 8,83 respektive 9,17 Individuen. Lediglich bei denC. montrouzieri-Adulten war eine kontinuierliche Zunahme der Attraktivität der Beute während des Untersuchungszeitraums von 24 h festzustellen, wobei das Maximum bei 10,00 Individuen lag. Analog wurde für das ersteC. carnea-Larvenstadium bei einer 4stündigen Hungerperiode mit 55,5% attrahierten Individuen das Maximum erreicht, wohingegen das zweite Stadium mit 61,1% bei der 8- und das dritte mit 65,5% bei der 12stündigen Hungerperiode die maximale Attraktion durch die Beute aufwies.

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With one table and one figure     

The significance of anomalous extractives in heart-shakes in Dacrydium species

Summary Morphological and chemical examinations of the extractives of the tissues and shake contents of eight Dacrydium and one Podocarpus species have been made. The whitish deposits in heart-shakes are without exception mainly podocarpic acid (PCA). This compound occurs also in the tissue of samples but only when shakes are found nearby. Accordingly PCA is regarded as an anomalous extractive, synthesized in response to those conditions resulting in shake formation. In samples with shakes PCA is present in very small amounts at the sapwood-heartwood boundary and in one sample there were traces even in the innermost sapwood. It was notable that shakes containing deposits can arise in those Dacrydium species with coloured heartwood and with a known tendency for wetwood formation. On the other hand Dacrydium franklinii does not develop coloured heartwood or wetwood or shakes, and the lack of these features may have taxonomic significance.The third author expresses his gratitude to the Division of Building Research, CSIRO, Highett, Vic., for a visiting Fellowship during 1974.     

Acoustic emission monitoring during partial compression to detect early stages of decay

Summary The acoustic emissions (AEs) under partially compression were monitored with two softwood and one hardwood specimens in very eary stages of decay by a brown- and a white-rot fungus. Even slightly decayed specimens emitted AEs immediately after beginning of loading, typically when partial compression stress was applied to brown-rotted wood with the flat-headed attachment. With sound specimens of three wood species, only a few AEs were generated until the load reached at the proportional limit. These results suggest that AE monitoring will be one of the feasible means to detect the incipient stages of decay in a field test.The authors thank the Weyerhaeuser Research Grants Program for its aid in this investigation     

麻竹笋用林高效可持续经营技术

以麻竹笋用林高效栽培为目标，可持续经营为原则，总结了竹林林分结构调控、土壤管理、散生状培育、地理种源和无性系选优等操作简便、应用效果好的系列实用技术，分析了目前麻竹林立地生产力退化、产品产量和质量下降等的主要原由，提出了无害化、品种化和散生状培育的经营方向。     

Reactivity of a condensed–type lignin model compound in the Mannich reaction and preparation of cationic surfactant from sulfuric acid lignin

 The chemical conversion of phenolized sulfuric acid lignin (P-SAL), prepared from sulfuric acid lignin (SAL) by phenolation with sulfuric acid catalyst, to novel cationic surfactant was investigated. To elucidate the chemical reactivity of the P-SAL to a Mannich reaction, 1-guaiacyl-1-p-hydroxyphenylethane (I) as a simple phenolized sulfuric acid lignin model compound was reacted with dimethylamine and formaldehyde. Quantitative analysis of the products by gas-liquid chromatography suggested that the p-hydroxyphenyl nucleus was more reactive than the guaiacyl nucleus. The Mannich reaction of SAL with dimethylamine did not yield a soluble cationic surfactant, but P-SAL produced water-soluble cationic surfactant in a quantitative yield. The Mannich reaction products (MP-SAL) of P-SAL had 1,3-dimethylaminomethyl groups/C₉-C₆. The results of the surface tension measurements showed that the decrease in surface tension of MP-SAL was much larger than that of lignosulfonate as a commercial surfactant from lignin.     

Clonal variation in morphology, growth, physiology, anatomy and ultrastructure of container-grown white spruce somatic plants

We assessed clonal variation in morphological variables, mineral nutrition, root growth capacity, net photosynthesis, tannin distribution, and cuticle and epicuticular wax features within four families of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). Seeds were collected from four families obtained through controlled crosses among selected genotypes. For each family, plants were produced either from seeds (zygotic) or by somatic embryogenesis (clones). Each family was therefore represented by its zygotic seedlings and three clones. Within a family and under similar growth conditions, several clones differed significantly from the zygotic seedlings in height, root-collar diameter, needle dry mass, branch density, shoot dry mass, root dry mass, and length of needles. Branch density (number of first-order branches per cm height) of zygotic seedlings and clones varied from 0.8 to 1.4 branches cm(-1) and from 0.6 to 1.3 branches cm(-1), respectively. Mean needle length of zygotic seedlings and clones ranged from 11 to 14 mm and from 11 to 17 mm, respectively. For many variables (height, dry mass of new roots, needle dry mass and branch density), differences among clones were significantly greater than differences among zygotic seedlings within a family. Tannins were more abundant in needles of clones than in needles of zygotic seedlings. In some clones, tannins occurred as a ribbon along the central vacuole, whereas in others they appeared as aggregates dispersed in the vacuole. Within a family, N, P and K showed considerable variations in their use efficiency. Interclonal variations were observed in root growth potential and net photosynthesis. Variations in growth and physiology reflect genetically determined differences among clones within a family.     

Genetic diversity of Populus euphratica populations in northwestern China determined by RAPD DNA analysis

Five Populus euphratica Oliver populations in northwestern China were analyzed using RAPD DNA markers to determine genetic diversity among and within populations. One hundred-and-five polymorphic bands were observed, ranging in size from 250 bp to 1700 bp, using 10 primers. Only one population on the north side of the Tianshern Range had a unique band common to all individuals that was not found in individuals from populations in the Tarim River valley. Intra-population genetic diversity was high in two populations along the Tarim River and low in the other three populations. There was no significant correlation between genetic distances and geographic distances. The result of correspondence analysis shows that the individuals from the three populations with low genetic diversity are isolated from each other. The result of cluster analysis based on genetic distance shows that the population in the Tianshern Range is genetically distant from the other populations. These results suggest that the Tianshern Range population was genetically isolated from the other populations.